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Despite having loads of loyal customers, it’s hard to say that Apple has consistently received good press over the years. Sure the products get high marks, but there are always “killer” gadgets from competing companies that are sure to take over the market, or so they say.

Of course in the old days, there was that notorious “Apple Death Watch” stories, where some media commentators with a more morbid bend — or who may have been influenced somehow to favor Microsoft — kept suggesting Apple was over and done for. It was only a matter of time before the company ran out of steam and bought the farm.

The truth is that the naysayers were frighteningly close to the truth at one time. Steve Jobs has revealed that, shortly after he took over as CEO (his title was then iCEO), Apple was within 90 days of closing down.

Say what you want about the immense Jobsian ego and his mercurial ways. He found a way forward to save the company, by cutting out unproductive product lines and focusing on Apple’s core competency, which was to make great personal computers.